Land Rover makes a trendy Discovery

THE Discovery has always been Land Rover's most important model globally and in order to grow sales, the Discovery 3 uproots one metaphorical foot from the mud and dirt, and plants it firmly in the immaculately groomed faces of road biased SUVs.
In a sense, a certain kind of poetic justice has been enacted. Seeing as it was the soft-roader SUV set, such as the Lexus RX300, BMW X5 and Volvo XC90 for example, that first co-opted Land Rover's go-anywhere cachet while going light on actual go-anywhere ability, it only seems fair for Land Rover to do the same.

The Disco 3 is handsome, chunky and unadorned, and all the better for it. It's also far better proportioned than its ungainly looking predecessor. In fact it looks more like a product from an industrial designer than from a car designer and it should therefore instantly appeal to the iPod generation.

INSIDE IT

The Disco 3 dwarfs just about everything else on the road, and it makes even six-foot drivers look like small children. From the aptly named Command driving position, you get a view of the earth so commanding you feel like you ought to get a beret, Ray-Ban Aviators and a bushy moustache just to do the car justice.

If you're used to ordinary saloon cars climbing up into and looking out from a Disco 3 will feel like peering down from a second storey window. The greatest benefit for on-road applications like fording treacherous rivers of traffic is the excellent visibility, no gap in traffic will likely escape your notice.

You get comfortable seats for seven. The rearmost pair of occasional chairs were designed to offer almost as much space as the rest so you can stick a pair of full-sized adults in the rear, and forget about them over long journeys.

You can also bring a whopping 17.5 litres worth of beverages because that's what all the cupholders will hold in total. The interior is also terrifically well put together and everything has a nice, quality feel. Old Disco owners will likely find nothing familiar.

DRIVING IT

The Disco 3's ride is luxury car smooth and refinement is excellent with wind noise and road rumble virtually nonexistent, even at expressway speeds. The steering is remarkably positive and precise, and the car turns-in with a keenness that belies its 2.7 tonne kerb weight. The Disco 3's Integrated Body Frame (IBF) chassis marries the strengths of a ladder frame with those of a monocoque body, and is largely responsible for the high-levels of refinement.

Don't expect the Disco 3 to drive like an X5 though. It loses out to the road-biased SUVs in terms of handling, and there's a significant amount of body roll that quickly discourages you from driving enthusiastically. Next year's Range Rover Sport [see box story] will be the one to go for if it's driving pleasure that you're after.

The 295bhp 4.4-litre V8-engine in our test car, a Jaguar-based unit, was smooth all the way to the red line and it made all the right, suitably encouraging noises but it only made us wish for a 'sport' mode for the chassis. A 215bhp 4.0-litre V6 will become available soon and that looks set to be the most popular option.

Off-road, there is so much technology geared towards making the onerous task of going off-road easier, total novices can easily overcome even the most frightening looking obstacles.

Key to the Disco 3's off-road for dummies ability is Terrain Response, an overarching electronic watchdog that optimises all the vehicle's off-road systems, from traction control to braking and suspension settings. All you have to do is look out the window and identify the type of terrain, and then select the appropriate setting from a menu of five different Terrain Response programmes.

For a better understanding of the thoughtfulness that has gone hand-in-hand with all the technological indulgences look no further than the Disco 3's remote key fob; it charges while in the ignition so you'll never have to go through the complicated and totally irritating procedure of manually disarming your car's alarm system if your remote battery dies. Brilliant.

DOLLARS AND SENSE

The exact trim specifications for local cars have yet to be decided but the high-spec HSE model CarBuyer tested had vo ice-activated satellite navigation, climate control, parking sensors, and air suspension, basically all the mod cons a modern, expensively-specced executive saloon would have.

Prices haven't been finalised either but should start at around $220,000 for the V6 model. This puts the Disco 3 right smack in the middle of some pretty crowded territory. You do get a lot of tech for you money though; Terrain Response apart, there's the independent, air-sprung double wishbone suspension, and half the periodic table's worth of exotic materials in the IBF chassis.

VERDICT

With competitive pricing, the Disco 3's great looks coupled with the now seriously trendy Land Rover badge should make rivals very worried. And seeing that the Disco 3 also boasts off-road capability that none of its rivals can quite match, well it's quite easy to do the math. Disco's back.

NEED TO KNOW

Model Land Rover Discovery
Engine 4,394cc, 42V V8
Max Power 295bhp at 5,500rpm
Max Torque 427Nm at 4,000rpm
Gearbox 6-speed automatic
Top Speed 195km/h
0-100 km/h 8.6 seconds
Price $ (TBA)
Warranty 3 years / 100,000km
Contact Regent Motors, 6479-7277

AT A GLANCE

1. Macho looks keep the eye entertained, while a high gadget count means lots of buttons
2. Unlike Disco 2, the new car's seven seats will accommodate adults properly
3. Electronic systems do all the work for the driver, making off-roading a cinch
4. All-new cabin architecture means old-school Landie owners might get confused
5. The Jaguar-sourced V8 produces 295bhp - more than the Range Rover musters

SIMILAR CARS WE HAVE DRIVEN

Volvo XC90 T6 $208,000 with COE

The Volvo also has space for seven and plenty of kit. In addition, you get the full brace of Volvo's much vaunted safety systems. The twin-turbo in-line six cylinder engine has plenty of grunt, making the XC90 a superb cruiser. It loses out in terms of off-road ability, however. That's not surprising, since it's based on the S80.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland $225,000 with COE

Jeep has plenty of off-road cred and a suitably trendy badge. The flagship Grand Cherokee is probably right up there with the Disco 3 in terms of off-roading capability. The big Jeep is less impressive on the inside, however. Space is tight for a car this size and build quality doesn't match the Volvo's or the Land Rover's.

RANGE ROVER SPORT STORMS IN

Having more in common with the Discovery 3 than the Range Rover, the Sport is the fifth model in Land Rover's model range

TARGETED directly at high-end variants of the Porsche Cayenne and the BMW X5, Land Rover's new Range Rover Sport promises to be the company's most driver-focused vehicle yet.

The new car is based on a shortened version of the Discovery 3's Integrated Body Frame chassis and like the Disco 3, features independent, air-sprung suspension. A supercharged, Jaguar-derived 400bhp 4.2-litre V8 will be one of the engine options available. The interior is a cross between that of the current Range Rover's and the Discovery 3's.

To make sure that the Range Rover Sport handles, Land Rover has developed an all-new Dynamic Response system; this maintains a watching brief over the suspension settings in order to maintain authoritative body control during hard driving.

The Range Rover Sport will also uphold Land Rover's impeccable off-road reputation, Dynamic Response disengages off-road and Terrain Response, as featured on the Disco 3 takes over, optimising suspension settings, braking and traction control to suit the conditions.

Land Rover intends for the Range Rover Sport to slot in between the Discovery 3 and the Range Rover, the latter receives a facelift and an engine transplant next year. The Range Rover Sport debuts at the Detroit Motor Show and should arrive here in the latter half of 2005.